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25.3.13

Craigslist Score - Part 3!

You guys have responded so positively to my other "Craigslist Score" posts that I wanted to continue the series. While we may run out of items in our two bedroom condo, perhaps I'll indulge in a little Craigslist treasure hunting in the new house!

We found this funky orange chair to suit our swingin' 70's living room decor. We've had it for about three years and, aside from the fact that it's bring orange and really comfortable, we've never given the $30 Craigslist purchase another thought.

I "googled" it for this post and found that it resembles Pierre Paulin's Orange Slice Chair. My design friends will cringe when I admit that I had no idea it was a well known piece. What I've always liked about our chair is that it seems to change shape depending on the angle. I discovered through my reading that this is a design feature of the orange slice chair. Call it dumb luck!

Now, I don't pretend our is an original because I am a far cry from a furniture appraiser. However, our chair is clearly vintage and, while knockoffs of this chair pollute the internet now, I'm not sure it was a heavily copied piece back then.

If our chair is the real deal, it could be quite valuable. I'm sure it depends on other factors like the condition or even manufacturer's markings but here are a few listings I found for the orange slice chair:

This link on RetroStart lists it between $750 and $1,000. It is the lowest price I have seen online.

Even at the LOWEST estimate of between $750 and $1,000, I'd say it's not bad for a $30 chair!

We have been very lucky with Craigslist but I don't possess any special skills or designer knowledge so there's no reason you can't be lucky too. We've done quite well just purchasing things that we thought were cool and unique and we have never bothered specifically searching for commonly replicated iconic furnishings. Our Tips:

Don't purchase items just because you think they may be worth something. Not everything is and we only purchase things that we genuinely like and will fit with our decor.

Establish a theme and shop within that theme. Craigslist is overwhelming if you don't have direction.

Scan often and use keywords that match your theme.

Don't expect to find iconic pieces at crazy low prices. We look for pieces from a particular era that look well made and have interesting design features. Chances are, if someone is selling a genuine Eames Rocker, they are pricing it accordingly.

Don't expect to find a treasure every time you look. There's a lot of junk out there too.

Popular blog, View Along the Way also lists some helpful Craigslist tips. Just keep in mind that it is important to be cautious as well. Read this article and avoid some common Craigslist scams!

I'd love to hear about any of your "Craigslist or Thrift Store Scores" too. Happy searching!

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Welcome! I'm a real estate broker/ blogger/ avid diy-er living in Toronto with my husband, daughter, our two greyhounds and a former barn cat. I should mention that we're also renovating our 1926 semi, which gets a little chaotic at times. Sometimes life happens all at once. This is exactly the case for us...